by Maegan Murray (WSU Tri-Cities/Washington State University) Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities have figured out a way to successfully convert a common wood byproduct into hydrocarbon molecules that could be used as jet fuel. Bin Yang, an associate professor of
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Back TO HOMEAfter Weeks of Negotiations, Congress Finalizes 5-year Transportation Bill
by Ashley Halsey III (The Washington Post) ... The long-sought bill protects funding for transit from those who argued it should be cut loose from the highway bill, increases money for pedestrian and bicycle programs that also have come under attack, and
December 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Congress Misses a Chance to Improve the Transportation Bill
(The Washington Post) ... But the process apparently isn’t open enough to allow for a vote on the most obvious transportation solution: raising the gasoline tax to pay for the country’s roads and rails. In the past, House leaders weren’t so
November 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Grants Provide HazMat Training for Crude Oil, Ethanol Incidents
(U.S. Department of Transportation/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has announced grants totaling $5.9 million to provide hazardous materials training for volunteer or remote emergency responders. The Assistance for Local Emergency Response
October 05, 2015 Read Full Article
U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $22.5 Million to Put More Low and No-Emission Vehicles into Service Across America
(US Department of Transportation) The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is announcing the availability of $22.5 million through the latest round of the Low or No Emission Vehicle Deployment Program (LoNo) that will help deploy the next
September 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Renewable Jet Fuel Is Taking Flight
by Zia Haq (US Department of Energy) It’s been one year since we at the Energy Department ramped up our efforts to develop renewable jet fuel for the military and commercial aviation industry. The Department’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) joined
August 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Reading the Green Like a Pro—Heavy Duty Truck GHG Phase 2 Mandates Can Help You Ace It!
by Fran Flynn (Biofuels Digest/ Fleet Advantage) On the putting green, the golfer who putts last has the advantage of watching his predecessor ‘show him the line. ... On June 19, 2015 the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Anthony R.
August 27, 2015 Read Full Article
California to Be One of the Top Beneficiaries From New Truck Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Efficiency Rules
(Diesel Technology Forum) Success depends on fuel-neutral approach, nationwide uniformity and harmonization ... He (Tom Fulks, representing the Diesel Technology Forum, to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officials during today’s hearing on the proposed truck regulations in
August 18, 2015 Read Full Article
Transportation Dept. Gets Strict on Rules for Trains Carrying Flammable Oil
by Ashley Halsey III (The Washington Post) Almost two years after a runaway tank-car train erupted in an explosion that killed 47 people in a Canadian town, the U.S. Transportation Department on Friday announced new standards for tank-car construction, new
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Bill Would Hike Gas Tax to Pay for Roads
by Keith Laing (The Hill) A bipartisan group of House members has filed legislation to hike the federal gas tax and index it to inflation to pay for a new transportation bill. The measure would increase the gas tax, which
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
2015 Sun Grant Conference: Academia Jumps One Step Forward and Shows What Will Be the Future of Lignocellulosic Biomass Production and Utilization in the Southeastern USA
Author, Dan Quadros, in Auburn, Alabama.by Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) After two days (February 2-3, 2015) in “Sweet Home Alabama” at Auburn University, we got overwhelmed with the most recent discoveries of cutting-edge research that were presented
February 25, 2015 Read Full Article
Gas Tax Hike Looking More Palatable to Republicans
by Fawn Johnson (National Journal) Some lawmakers say there needs to be a rebate for low-income families. Others call it a "user fee." Lawmakers may have finally run out of arcane accounting options to fund the nation's highways and
January 16, 2015 Read Full Article
Report on Rail Car Retrofits Pegs $5.3 B Cost to Ethanol in 2019
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A new report prepared by economic research firm The Brattle Group showed that the proposed Department of Transportation rule on rail tank cars could cost the economy as much as $60 billion and projected
December 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Study Finds Use of Biodiesel Lowers Tailpipe Emissions
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On October 29, the Mineta National Transit Research Consortium, a U.S. Department of Transportation Center for Excellence, released a peer-reviewed study that examines the emissions profile of a bus fleet run on a biodiesel blend.
November 04, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Pushes Back on Rail Safety Improvements
by Curtis Tate (McClatchy News Service/Star Tribune) The industry disputes finding that ethanol is more volatile than crude. Ethanol producers are pushing back hard against new rail safety rules after a federal study found that ethanol poses hazards equal to or
October 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Comment Period Starts for Oil-Train Rules
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) The Obama administration Friday formally published proposals in the Federal Register to strengthen safety rules for trains carrying crude oil and other fuels, kicking off a two-month period in which the public can comment. The proposals were prompted chiefly by
August 04, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. DOT Announces Comprehensive Proposed Rulemaking for the Safe Transportation of Crude Oil, Flammable Materials
(U.S. Department of Transportation) Releases new data on Bakken crude oil to support increased safety measures The U.S. Department of Transportation today released the details of its comprehensive rulemaking proposal to improve the safe transportation of large quantities of flammable materials
July 24, 2014 Read Full Article
NGFA Proposal to the STB Could Benefit Shippers of Ethanol, DDGS
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On July 7, the National Grain and Feed Association announced it submitted an extensive proposal to the Surface Transportation Board, urging the STB to establish new rules and procedures that captive grain shippers could
July 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Expresses Concern Over Continued Rail Shipment Delays
(Growth Energy) In response to a recent order by the Surface Transportation Board (STB), which called on specific rail providers to resolve backlogs of rail cars for grain orders, but failed to address the substandard rail service for the delivery
July 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Rule on Crude-by-Rail Shipments Is Priority Over Hazmat Fee, Foxx Says
by Tom Curry (Roll Call) Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says he won’t immediately push Congress to enact a proposal offered by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other mayors for a federal fee to be imposed on shipments of hazardous materials passing through cities. “It’s something
July 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Alternative Jet Fuels: Federal Activities Support Development and Usage, but Long-term Commercial Viability Hinges on Market Factors
(Government Accountability Office) The federal government supports the development and use of alternative jet fuels through both broad and targeted initiatives. Broad national strategies promote the development of a variety of alternative fuels—including alternative jet fuel—to help achieve national goals, such as securing
May 22, 2014 Read Full Article
RFA Committed to Rail Safety, Says Priority One Is Keeping Trains on the Tracks
(Renewable Fuels Association) Today (April 23, 2014), Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), testified before the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) forum on Rail Safety: Transportation of Crude Oil and Ethanol. In his testimony, Dinneen focuses
April 24, 2014 Read Full Article
MARAD Releases Results of Renewable Diesel Testing
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On March 28, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced the results of biofuel testing completed onboard the training ship State of Michigan. The tests compared operational, vibration and air emissions differences between regular ultralow
April 04, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. Transportation: Driving Down the Same Old (Bumpy) Road or Paving a New Way Forward?
by Bill Chameides (Duke University) While the Highway Trust Fund did a fine job of funding infrastructure maintenance for decades, it now is sorely lacking. The taxes collected are nowhere near enough to fund what is needed. Last year the federal
March 05, 2014 Read Full Article
Highway Agency Moving toward New Alt Fuel Rules
by Tim Devaney (The Hill Reg Watch) ... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced Wednesday it is considering a new rule that would require car manufacturers to indicate which vehicles can operate on alternative fuels and explain which alternative fuels
February 20, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. Oil, Ethanol Say Billions to Upgrade Rail Safety too Costly
by Patrick Rucker (TD Waterhouse) Rail safety rules contemplated by U.S. regulators could require multibillion dollar upgrades to a tank car fleet that has helped spur domestic oil production and meet demands of a booming biofuel sector. More flammable liquids such
December 06, 2013 Read Full Article
EERE Transportation Energy Futures Study: Deep Reductions in Petroleum Use and Carbon Emissions
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental and Energy Studies Institute (EESI) and the Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) held a briefing on the conclusions of the newly released EERE Transportation Energy Futures (TEF)
April 23, 2013 Read Full Article
Vilsack, LaHood Extend Aviation Biofuels Commitment
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Two members of Pres. Obama’s cabinet today have signed their names to an agreement that will extend the administration’s commitment to the production of biofuels for use in airplanes. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Transportation
April 15, 2013 Read Full Article
Raising Money for the New Biofuels: A Digest Special Report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...We say that biofuels are “capital-intensive,” mainly to be polite. It’s like saying that Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great or Attila the Hun had “land interests”. ...Put it this way. How much capital would you need to
October 15, 2012 Read Full Article
ACORE Convenes Transportation And Renewable Energy Industry
(ACORE) Leaders from across the country in the transportation and renewable energy sectors convened at an American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) forum on Tuesday in Washington to chart a course for expanding the use of renewable energy in the
July 23, 2012 Read Full Article
DoT Algal Fuel Test Results Show Potential
(Algae Industry Magazine) The Maritime Administration (MARAD) of the U.S. Department of Transportation has released its analysis of a test conducted with algae-based biofuel on one of its large commercial-size vessels. This research used marine engines aboard the Great Lakes
June 07, 2012 Read Full Article
Policy Day at the Washington DC Auto Show
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) On the day before the Washington DC Auto Show opens to the public, there is an event called Policy Day. Administration officials and high ranking auto company executives give short presentations and spend time
January 30, 2012 Read Full Article
U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces Over $100 Million to Promote Innovative and Clean-Fuel Transit Projects
(US Department of Transportation) U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today (November 17, 2011) announced that 46 innovative transit projects chosen for their capacity to help cut the nation’s dependence on oil and create a marketplace for 21st century ‘green’ jobs
December 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Corn Gene Boosts Biofuels from Switchgrass
(Science Daily) ...Unlike the starch sugars in grains, the complex polysaccharides in the cellulose of plant cell walls are locked within a tough woody material called lignin. For advanced biofuels to be economically competitive, scientists must find inexpensive ways to
November 21, 2011 Read Full Article
We Can’t Wait: Obama Administration Proposes Historic Fuel Economy Standards to Reduce Dependence on Oil, Save Consumers Money at the Pump
(US Environmental Protection Agency) Next phase in national program for light-duty vehicles will save consumers thousands of dollars at the pump while saving billions of barrels of oil, curbing pollution, enabling long-term planning for automakers Building on President Obama’s historic national
November 16, 2011 Read Full Article
US, Australia Sign Key Aviation Biofuels Accord
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MOU covers feedstock readiness, sustainability, data sharing, fuels certification, plus development of new alternative fuel pathways in alcohol conversion, pyrolysis and synthetic biology. Is the agreement, driven by the private sector and formalized by government, a
September 19, 2011 Read Full Article
NIST Finds that Ethanol-Loving Bacteria Accelerate Cracking of Pipeline Steels
(EurekAlert!) U.S. production of ethanol for fuel has been rising quickly, topping 13 billion gallons in 2010. With the usual rail, truck and barge transport methods under potential strain, existing gas pipelines might be an efficient alternative for moving this
August 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Next Generation Fuel Economy Labels Arm Consumers with Information They Can Use
by Ray LaHood (Department of Transportation) ...Because of President Obama's efforts and automakers' innovations, Americans today have many more options for fuel-efficient vehicles than ever before. And the new labels will help us make sense of those options and take
May 25, 2011 Read Full Article
FRA Advances Use of Bio-Based Fuels and Lubricants with New Research Grants
(US Department of Transportation) U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced two research grants totaling $766,562 intended to advance the use of bio-based fuels and lubricants with the goal of cleaner air and decreasing the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels. “We are
December 03, 2010 Read Full Article
EPA and NHTSA Announce a First Step in the Process for Setting Future Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Economy Standards for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
(US Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on behalf of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), are announcing the next step toward reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fuel
October 08, 2010 Read Full Article
New 3475 Placard Mandated for 10%-Plus Ethanol in Gasoline
(Bulk Transporter) New placarding regulations took effect October 1 for fuel haulers handling gasoline blends with more than 10% ethanol. The placard ID number is 3475 for gasoline/ethanol blends above 10%. The easiest way to comply with the requirement is to put
October 06, 2010 Read Full Article
New Fuel Economy Window Stickers Chock Full 'O Numbers
(Jalopnik) One of the draft window stickers released today will give buyers of 2012 models efficiency data for gas and electric vehicles. U.S. regulators want you to decide: How do you like letter grades? UPDATE: Automakers give it a "F." ...A
August 30, 2010 Read Full Article
Senate Trio Hopes to Hit Pay Dirt With Carbon 'Fee' on Fuels
by Darren Samuelsohn (New York Times) Key senators are weighing a request from Big Oil to levy a carbon fee on the industry rather than wrap it into a sweeping cap-and-trade system that covers most of the U.S. economy. If accepted,
April 19, 2010 Read Full Article
South Dakota State University Studies Corn Stover Pretreatment
(Biomass Magazine) Using a high shear bioreactor (extrusion) pretreatment process can help prepare corn stover as a feedstock for making cellulosic ethanol, a South Dakota State University study finds. The SDSU study explored different temperatures, screw speeds, and enzymes to learn
April 09, 2010 Read Full Article
DOT, EPA Set Aggressive National Standards for Fuel Economy and First Ever Greenhouse Gas Emission Levels For Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
Responding to one of the first major directives of the Obama Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today jointly established historic new federal rules that set the first-ever national greenhouse gas emissions